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Brutalizers
The Brutalizers are a dreaded band of renegade astartes that have marauded the Imperiums space lanes ever since their excommunication during the Nova Terra Interregnum. They are a brutal band of self serving pirates, caring only for their own survival and wealth. Though they have not yet fallen to the temptations to Chaos and allow no taint of mutation within their own ranks, they have fought alongside the minions of the Archenemy for paltry coin and weapons. However, they have also aided various other powerful and unscrupulous men who call themselves loyal to the Emperor for enough coin as well. History The Brutalizers were once (reluctantly) hailed as great warriors of the Imperium, and their fall from grace has been greatly documented by Imperial Scholars as a prime pattern that 'damned' Chapters fall into prior to their betrayal of all they were created to defend. 3rd Founding The origin of the Brutalizers has long been lost to time, but are strongly believed to have originated from the Imperial Fists, as the sole gene-seed deficiency the Chapter has is the lack of a Sus-an Membrane. They were considered brutal and overtly cold at their inception if the records are to be believed, and their reputation as ruthless conquerors became quickly cemented with the Chapters early assaults on the edges of Ultima Segmentum. Wars of Subjugation The Brutalizers were responsible for the reclamation of various worlds that were overlooked during the Scouring, worlds on the edges of the Imperiums borders or inaccessible at the time due to astral phenomena. This millennia long time of crusading was known as the Wars of Subjugation. It was at this time that the Brutalizers would forever be a known as a dark and sinister Chapter, even as their loyalty to the Emperor was iron clad. They butchered entire populations almost daily, tore asunder entire civilizations that would not willingly return to Imperial rule. Soon their fellow Space Marines began to hold the Brutalizers with some contempt, especially as the tales of black and blue clad Space Marines gunning down both innocent and corrupted civilians alike began to circulate. The Brutalizers, in turn, considered themselves above the rest of their fellow Space Marines, for their unmitigated success in bringing hundreds of worlds into compliance single handedly and that they were waging wars that needed to be fought, not chasing battles of glory or repentance. Buul Crusades When the atheistic Order of the Red Arrow rose up against the Imperium, in a vain attempt to dethrone the newly officialized Imperial Cult, it was the Brutalizers who crushed their rebellion alongside the fanatical Fraternis Templars. Their actions were cruel in the extreme, from the mass killings of supposed heretics and the devastation of various worlds, but at the time the religious fervor of the crusade allowed the High Lords and Inquisition to overlook such actions. (even though the Brutalizers were some of the most vocal believers in the Emperor's mortality) Siege of Oxis Oxis, now a Dark Mechanicus forge world located at the edge of the Segmentum Ultima, was assailed by the forces of Chaos in M32. The Brutalizers, along with forces of the Imperial Fists and Lords Exemplar, aided the local mechanicus forces in resisting the Black Legion and the infamous Legio Destructor Traitor Titan Legion. Of the Space Marine forces, few earned the Mechanicus' admiration more than the Brutalizers, who's cold logic and brutal efficiency, as well as their respect for the Mechanicus' traditions and beliefs, ensured that they and the Adepts of Oxis would become fast allies. Following the Imperial victory over the traitors, the Brutalizers stayed behind to aid with subsequent purges of corrupted populations and eventually the world became the main muster site and secondary base of operations for the Chapter. The Adepts of Oxis in turn had the loyalty of one of the most feared Astartes Chapters in the Imperium, and they certainly used this to their political advantage. In the end Oxis would follow the Chapter into damnation, as the Adepts of Oxis had begun to resent the Imperium that considered their Forgeworld a 'Backwater' that did far more research than production. The Orean Crusade A brutal one sided slaughter, the Orean "Crusade" was a massive Sector Wide assault launched by the Brutalizers and scant elements of the Imperial Guard to put down the peaceful succession of the Orean Sector. The people of Orean had been turned from the Imperium by the teachings of a heretic, later revealed to be the radical Inquisitor Hiram Gauss. After years of bloody warfare, the Inquisitor would die at the hands of the Brutalizers High Executioner. The people of Orean were poorly prepared for such swift and savage Imperial reprisal, for the Brutalizers ruthless in their prosecution of the people, slaughtering every man, woman, and child in the Sector, regardless of their level of involvement. Nova Terra Interregnum Some Imperial historians consider the tumulus centuries of the Nova Terra Interregnum the Brutalizers crowing moment, when their ruthlessly honed skills and brutal mindset brought them the greatest recognition from the Imperium and even their brother Chapters. When the whole of the Segmentum Pacificus broke with the Imperium, the Brutalizers were at the fore of the crusade to return them to the fold. Violently they purged world after world with bolterfire and mourningstar, not one room unchecked, not one home left unstained by blood. Though the Brutalizers had some misgivings about supporting the rise of the Ecclesiarchy, they were quick to vaunt their victories against the Ur-Council of Nova Terra when it suited them. Sacking of Jarnia Towards the end of the Nova Terra Interregnum, the Brutalizers were involved in a defensive action on the world or Jarnia. A small industrial world of some strategic importance to the ongoing civil war. Tactics The Brutalizers are masterful and beyond pitiless warriors, utilizing large numbers of heavy weapons squads, Centurion battle groups, and elite Terminator armored "Brute Squads" to mercilessly crush the enemy beneath a hail of bolter fire and chain blades. Their skill in the art of naval warfare makes them fearsome pirates, capable of overwhelming enemy fleets with trademark speed and brutality. Boarding actions are what won the Chapter much renown in their days as loyal servants of the Emperor, and now in their lifelong careers as self serving pirates, their skills have earned them a chilling reputation for effortlessly gunning down ship crews who dare stand in their way. The Brutalizers, unlike warp touched traitors or other, more vengeful renegades, prefer to pick their battles wisely. They rarely attack well armed or fortified targets, preferring to prey on refugee or merchant ships, as well as the occasional Imperial Fleet limping back from a recent campaign. To this end, the Brutalizers have a sizable armada, and vast numbers of hired guns, slave warriors, and murder servitors to call upon to soak up the casualties while they move in for the kill. Also, as opposed to many fractured Warbands or thinly spread Loyalist Chapters, the Brutalizers never separate into smaller raiding bodies, remaining together so that they may quickly overcome any obstacle in their raids. The Brutalizers seem devoid of the need for personal battle that other Space Marines, be they traitor or loyalist, long for. They would sooner blast apart an enemy fortress from orbit than bother deploying forces to siege it, and will send their slaves and pirate thralls to their deaths in open combat rather than join battle themselves. Some have accused them of being cowards, but the Brutalizers simply see it as fighting smarter, rather than harder, and continue to take any advantage presented, regardless of their enemies foolish ideals of honor and glory. The Brutalizers are fanatical about the purity of their Chapters Gene-Seed, and thus they maintain a much larger than normal Apothecarium, with three Painmasters (the Chapters unique interpretation of Apothecary) to every Company of Brutalizers. Wargear The Brutalizers pension for heavy weapons is well noted, as is their proficiency in the cramped corridors of warships. Their weaponry reflects their brutal efficacy and merciless drive to crush all those who dare oppose them: Oxis Pattern Mourningstar The iconic weapon of the Brutalizers, so much so that a depiction of the Mourningstar is the Chapters emblem, the Oxis Pattern Mourningstar is a powerful and savage chainflail. The Mourningstar represents the personality of its masters well, imposing, ruthless, unrelenting, and above all, devastating in battle. The Mourningstar comes in two models, the larger and more powerful two handed version, and the much more common, one handed version. The Mourningstar's chainblade covered head can deliver gruesome wounds and its heavily reinforced teeth are practically fracture proof, making it highly effective against both heavily armored and lightly armored enemies alike. The Mourningstar's head is attached to the grip via a retractable adamantium chain, which allows the weapon to be used as a flail and maul respectively, depending on the range of engagement. The Mourningstar is practically ubiquitous within the ranks of the Brutalizers, with nearly every Battle-Brother having the one handed model as his personal melee weapon. Naval Bolter This short barreled bolter is ideal for combat in the cramped corridors of starships and fortifications, and can be fired one handed, giving the user a free hand for a melee weapon. The Naval Bolter is a staple of the Brutalizers Assault and Tactical squads, some specializing in dual wielding the weapons to give them the firepower of a combi-bolter but the ability to target two foes at a time. Oxis Pattern Astartes Foehammer A mighty shotgun-pistol crafted specifically for the hands of mighty Astartes, the Oxis Pattern Foehammer is a massive revolver type weapon, bearing a sleek and threatening design, and capable of firing slugs and shot powerful enough to rip an Ork in half. The weapon chambers a maximum of seven rounds, and has proven itself extremely devastating during boarding actions and other close quarter firefights. The Oxis Pattern Foehammer is a common sidearm amongst the Brutalizers, who often eschew the more versatile Bolt Pistol in exchange for the sheer killing power of the Foehammer. Oxis Pattern Siege Shield A coffin shaped slab of platesteel and creamaite, the Oxis Pattern Siege Shield is an iconic piece of the Brutalizers Assault Squads as they board enemy ships and take to the field of battle. Though large, it can be used as a very effective form of attack, often covered in spikes or a disruptor field. Oxis Pattern Assault Shotgun A fully automatic shotgun designed specifically for the Brutalizers, this savage weapon is similar in design to the famous Ogryn Ripper Gun, but downscaled for Space Marine use. With various improvements to increase accuracy and decrease recoil, as well as preserve the weapons close range killing power, the Oxis Pattern Assault Shotgun is a mighty weapon that is a terror in the corridors of starships. Brutalizer Pattern Centurion While identical to a standard Centurion in most respects, the Brutalizers have been known to use the Centurion Battle Suit excessively, especially to spearhead boarding assaults. The specialized Brutalizer Pattern is often armed with a Heavy Flamer/Siege Drill and a upscaled Oxis Pattern Assault Shotgun Organisation The Brutalizers follow the general tenets of the Codex Astartes, keeping the basics of Company size and organization, but the titles vary. The Brutalizers also have various different formations befitting their way of war. Of course their adherence is by no means strict, as they would happily accept more Astartes into their ranks regardless of codex guidelines, it is simply a force of habit and convenient means of keeping order within the ranks. It should also be noted that the Brutalizers have a considerable amount of non-astartes forces within their ranks. Lord Marshall The Chapters glorious leader and cruel mastermind, the Lord Marshall is equivalent to the Codex Chapters Chapter Master. Back in the earliest days of the Chapter, the Lord Marshall was elected by the Captains of the Companies, with very little input on the part of the current Lord Marshall. Eventually though, it became an office earned purely by merit of impressing the previous Lord Marshall. This created an environment where only the most apt, yet unoffensive member of the Chapter became the vaunted leader. The input of the Captains became little more than a formality. At the current times, the Lord Marshall must rule with both respect and fear in order to keep dissent contained, for it is their ties to the Chapter that keep the Brutalizers from becoming nothing more than another Chaos Warband or squabbling Renegade rabble. High Executioner The Chapters Champion, the office of High Executioner is one of both great glory and infamy. Essentially the master of the Lord Marshal's bodyguard and personal enforcer, the High Executioner is often the most skilled and ruthless warrior in the Chapter, save for the Lord Marshall himself. Often the High Executioner commands his fellow astartes through a mixture of fear and respect. The current High Executioner is Kant Durn, a ruthless specimen of an astartes, is a force to be feared. Hereteks of Oxis The Brutalizers have with them a crass menagerie of various traitors. But few are quite so dangerous as the Tech-Preists who broke with Mars and the Imperium following the Brutalizers fall. The minor Forge World of Oxis and the Chapter had been known for their strong ties in the past, as Oxis was the main muster site for the Chapter during its days as Imperial warriors. The Magos of Oxis used their relationship with the fearsome Brutalizers to garner power and standing amongst their fellow Tech-Preists, who regarded them as a backwater that strained the patience of Mars in their idle research. When the Chapter was Excommunicated, it was not long before the Inquisition and their fellow Adepts began to question the purity of their closest allies. Fearing the destruction of all their research, the far flung world of Oxis renounced its ties to the Imperium. Imperial reprisal was swift and fierce, but, with the aid of the Brutalizers many Hereteks and their factory ships escaped. From that day onward, the Oxis Hereteks, or the Cabal as they are often called, have called the vessels of the Brutalizers home. Unlike the other allies of the Chapter, the Hereteks of Oxis are not considered thralls, but instead equals in most respects. The average Tech-Preist aboard a Brutalizers vessel will rarely be threatened with death or dismemberment or ordered about. However, the Brutalizers often clash with the Magos when it comes to particular deployments. Often they feel the Magos overstep their boundaries when they command slaves and pirates to do their bidding. And the Hereteks consider the Astartes regularly ungrateful. Though often the Heretek's duties are little more than the manufacture of various weapons for the Chapter fleet and the maintenance of the ships themselves, some Hereteks are also responsible for the manufacture and command of the deadly Servitors and heretical automatons of the "Machine Levies". These Heretek Cabals have great sway with the Lord Marshall, for although their forces are minor in comparison to those of the Blue Sail Mercenaries, their input in the form of wargear and proper maintenance is a boon the Chapter cannot make do without. Brutalizer Boarding Squad The Brutalizers are some of the finest ship-to-ship combatants in the galaxy, the void is their hunting ground, and the innards of the vessels they prowl are as familiar to them as the ground is to planetsiders. Armed with the Oxis Pattern Foehammers and Assault Shotguns, along with Siege Shields and Naval Bolters. Boarding Squads are often seasoned Assault Marines, veterans of hundreds of harrowing attacks on xenos and Imperial vessels alike. After the initial wave of murder servitors and suicide slave squads, the Boarding Squads sally forth from the boarding craft, shields in the front, Shotguns at the back. With Naval Bolter and shotgun fire, they scour the main decks as a wall of malice and death before separating into the various corridors and hallways in two man teams. One astartes wields his shield and Bolter, while the other sports a Shotgun or a Foehammer and Mourningstar. Brutalizers Centurion Squad The Brutalizers made great use of the Centurion exo-skeleton during their long history, and found a special place for them in their famed boarding actions. Thus, even in their current exile, the Brutalizers are known for their deadly Centurion Squads. Brute Squad Elite Terminator units, the Brute Squads are the Brutalizers most deadly warriors and form the honor guard of most Brutalizer Captains. The most famed of the Brute Squads is the Dreadguard, the personal Honor Guard of the Lord Marshall. Often Brute Squads are armed with the Chapters finest ranged weaponary, with the Cyclone Missile Launcher and Assault Cannon both well represented within their ranks. Others prefer a melee based approach, relying on Storm Shields combined with brutal Mourningstars, Chainflails, and Thunder Hammers. Painmaster The Brutalizers vanity and pride has long since been a defining feature of the Chapter psyche, and their fervent preservation of their gene-seed is a reflection of this. Every Company is often not without a trio of Painmasters, the Brutalizer equivalent of a Codex Apothecary. Painmasters are charged with the sacred duty of preserving the Brutalizers dark legacy, and do so with ruthless precision. A Painmaster is often the most callous and cold of their Brothers, knowing no mercy or kindness. This is a result of their duty, they do not see their fellow Space Marines as individuals, but mere receptacle of the Chapters glorious legacy. Painmasters are often equipped with a standard bolter and the standard apothecary kit, along with a set of smoke grenades.' Techmarine The technical specialists of the Chapter, the Brutalizers Techmarines are responsible for the production and maintenance of much of the Chapters wargear and vehicles. They often work alongside the infamous Hereteks of Oxis, and act as liaisons between the Chapter's officers and the Heretek Cabals within the Chapter fleet. They are usually the ones providing the Machine Levies with Astartes support and have been known to take command of these levies should the commanding Heretek be incapacitated or slain in battle. Librarian The Brutalizers still maintain a Librarium even after their excommunication from the Imperium. Though not remarkably different from their loyalist counterparts it should be noted that some have begun to delve into sorcererous acts. Though this research into the daemonic is tightly controlled by the Dreadmasters, it has allowed the Librarians to bolster their powers and access new magiks that no loyalist could manage. Dreadmaster The Dreadmasters are a black mockeries of loyalist Chaplains, brutal enforcers of the Lord Marshall's will. The Dreadmasters were founded, following the Chapters excommunication, by the High Executioner Kant Durn, and espouse loyalty to the Chapter. Unlike their loyalist counterparts, who are of the most mighty and pure of their brothers, the Dreadmasters are merely thugs and bullies whose loyalty to the Lord Marshall is far greater than that of their common brothers. They have taken up much of the defunct Chaplaincy's wargear, including the skull shaped helms and black power armor, as a sign of their status. Blue Sail Mercenaries An umbrella term for the various hired guns and indentured cutthroats that serve the Chapter, Blue Sail Mercenaries are mostly pirates and other scum who have found safety and profit under the Brutalizers banner. (It is, in fact, the color of the Chapters Banner that inspired the moniker Blue Sails) For their service to the Chapter the Blue Sail Mercenaries are rewarded with various boons, not the least of which is having the protection of a Space Marine Chapter. By banning together under the leadership of the Lord Marshall, these renegades and criminals have found prosperity and a form of safety in numbers, though at the cost of personal freedom and suffering the callous command of the Brutalizers. The Blue Sails are separated into battle groups on a simple premise, a single "Cohort" of Blue Sails are commanded by the Pirate Captain of the ship the Cohort serves upon. This can lead to Cohort sizes to range from a meager four hundred souls all the way up to small armies ranging in the hundreds of thousands. The Brutalizers brook no chaos worshipers within their ranks, and demand the same of their mortal allies. Should a ships crewman be found guilty of such heresy, the individual is more often than not executed publicly as a warning. Most Blue Sails are armed with equipment that would be considered standard for most Imperial military organisations, with Chimeras, Leman Russ Tanks, and other such vehicles as standard. Though the personal wargear of each pirate may vary in quality, as does their level of expertise and professionalism, they are no doubt a deadly and significant force in the Brutalizers warmachine. Machine Levies Packs of dangerous cyborgs crafted by the Techmarines and Oxis Magos as weapons of war. The Servitor Levies often take the form of more simple and base designs than those seen in the Adeptus Mechanicus Cohorts, but are nonetheless deadly. These monstrosities mostly take the form of simple Murder Servitors, but deadly Gun Servitors and even Skitarii are seen. These machines are usually meant to thin the foes ranks in ship to ship conflicts or provide support in environments too hazardous for the mortal thralls of the Brutalizers. It should be noted that Machine Levies can be the personal vanguard of a Heretek of Oxis if one of these strange Magos take the field. Slave Levies The lowest members in the Brutalizers social and military hierarchy, these dregs of the Chapter fleet and are considered so far below scum that the loss of their lives is barely considered an inconvenience to their cold masters. These slaves have shown themselves to be lacking in the eyes of the Brutalizers, and have been punished with battlefield duty. Thanks to the Brutalizers massive fleet and the vast amounts of human chattel the Chapter regularly captures during their raids, the Brutalizers have few qualms with disposing of unfavorable slaves en masse. Essentially cannon fodder, the purpose of the Slave Levies is to simply waste the foes time and ammunition, while conducting an effective assessment of the enemies strength and fortifications. As such, they are rarely afforded any form of armor or weaponry save the most basic measures. The average Slave Levy soldier is malnourished, armed with a blunt object, and wreathed in simple rags. The lucky or resourceful will have the use of a crude autogun or perhaps a rusty saber. And the truly fortunate will have some form of leather armor, more often than not made of rat or grox hide. Gene-seed The Brutalizers, much like the Loyalist Red Scorpions, are obsessed with the purity of their gene-seed (even though they care little for their Legion of origin) and hold it as their most valued treasure. Thus they maintain a large Apothecarion (Three Painmasters to each Company) even as renegades and will pay any price to ensure their gene-seed remains pure. The only known flaw was the lack of a Sus-an Membrane and Betcher's Gland during their time as loyalists. Somehow the Chapter has since cured the impotency of their Betcher's Glands, which are markedly more potent than other examples in both loyalist and traitor forces. The resurgence of this gland is believed to have been the work of the Chapters skilled Apothacarion, while others say the Chapter somehow procured the services of the infamous Fabius Bile. However this resurgence of the Betcher's Gland has caused some strange mutations within a small number of their battle brothers. Some Brutalizers salivate violently when it comes time to join combat, literally feeling a physical hunger for battle. A few even begin to hunger for the flesh of humanoids. This, "Blood Hunger" is currently an rare mutation, but incidents of it have steadily increased over the years. The most notable examples of this are the cases of Devastator Centurion Sergeant Faust Jager, Captain Lurn "Orphan Eater" Statz, and Champion of the 3rd Company, Vladimir Cull. The Chapters Painmasters are working around the clock in conjunction with the Hereteks of Oxis to find a cure for this bestial hunger. As it stands, standard Chapter policy is to allow these tainted brothers to serve under close examination of the Painmasters, for they are still effective in spite of their increased recklessness that is very uncharacteristic of the Chapter. Those that hunger are often ostracized by their brothers, who see them as a blight on the Chapter's legacy. A Battle Brother suffering from the Blood Hunger is often known to act recklessly, attacking vulnerable targets with little provocation and occasionally feasting off of his kills. However, this is far from a berzerk fury. A Brutalizer that hungers simply seeks to quench his thirst for murder and adrenaline. They would often prefer a foe they know they can defeat as opposed to one that would actually challenge them. That being said, the Blood Hunger coupled with the typical Brutalizer arrogance can easily lead to a Battle Brother overestimating his skill and take a risk he should not have. Culture The Brutalizers are famed as cold blooded killers, willing to kill both foe and innocent alike with ruthless indifference and plunder entire systems for paltry wealth. Before their fall, the Brutalizers held a strong sense of duty to the Imperium, and held that any who opposed the Emperor's will deserved to die and die in droves. They slaughtered any who dare stand in their way, and their reputation for ruthlessly subjugating both secessionist and new worlds had garnered them much in the way of both glory and infamy. The Brutalizers were quickly stigmatized by their fellow Chapters as ruthless cowards for their brutal purges and dependency on overwhelming force of arms to bring even the most rudimentary foe to heel. In response to the misgivings of other Space Marine Chapters, the Brutalizers became more and more isolated, and in their isolation they reveled in their own victories. It mattered not that a vast majority of the foes they overcame were weak willed heretics or starving rebels, it mattered only that they had brought scores of worlds into the Imperial fold, more than nearly any other Chapter in Imperial History. Thus the Brutalizers grew arrogant and held their fellow Space Marines as glory starved fools. More than a few outbursts and fistfights were recorded between Brutalizers and other Loyalists when the Chapter was forced to work alongside their brothers, and tales of the Brutalizers sheer contempt for "mere mortals" were well documented. It was this arrogance and indifference to civilian casualties that doomed the Chapter after the Sacking of Jarnia. The Chapters genocide of a loyal world, all for a perceived slight to the Chapters honor, would see them made into the pawns of Lord Inquisitor Devem. Hundreds of years of abuse by the vindictive Inquisitor wore on the Chapters loyalty, and eventually the Inquisitor would push these proud marines to the point of no return. The butchered the Inquisitor and her retinue, and sent her fleshed and salted corpse back to the Segmentum fortress. Once they declared themselves enemies of man, the Brutalizers only delved deeper into cold savagery, slaughtering world after world for plunder to feed their constant need for resources. Soon the Brutalizers became so successful that they turned to raiding not only out of necessity, but to feed a materialistic greed that gripped them all. Vast riches from Imperial coffers and priceless relics became their playthings, and the ranks of slaves to do their bidding rose to astronomical heights. In the end the Brutalizers would become a force of hedonists and blood hungry killers, the only a crude vestige of their courtly honors and warrior airs keeping them from falling so fully as to embrace Chaos. A fate they do not wish for... but one that may come soon as many learned of such things whisper that the Prince of Pleasure has set her sights on the Chapter's souls. The Brutalizers have become known for their many grisly "torture rituals" in which pain is inflicted upon a poor soul either for punishment for a failing or slight against the Chapter, or even for their twisted amusement. Unbeknownst to the Imperium, many of these practices have been a staple for the Chapter long before their fall, with their most famous ritual known as "The Curing" which inspired the Chapters warcry. The Curing is saved only for the most impetulant foes or foolish slanderers who have tempted the Brutalizers wrath, and was the fate of the late Lord Inquisitor Devem. The Brutalizers strip the skin from the victims body in such a way that the poor soul remains competently conscious, aware of every excruciating moment. The Brutalizers Painmasters then douse the unfortunate in salt taken from the toxic deserts of Oxis, which leaves the victim to one of the most painful demises in the galaxy. The Curing itself coincides closely with the Brutalizer's cannibalistic tendencies. They are well known for having a hunger for the flesh of sapient beings. While most consume it in a "civilized" manner the more aggressive of their number are tend to partake in "fresh" meat, freely feeding on corpse and even living foes on the the battlefield. In the Chapters past, this hunger was often kept secret, but now as Renegades they leave this fact out in the open in order to intimidate their slaves and allies. Notable Individuals Ignatius Earn The black hearted butcher who lead his Chapter to damnation, Ignatius Earn is a being born of hubris and hatred. Once he was a valued (if somewhat maligned) servant of the Emperor, but now he is little more than a glorified pirate. Once, Ignatius was a loyal astartes without question, he was only the latest in a long line of honored successors that stretched back as far as the third founding. He led his Chapter with the brutal and time honored doctrine that had earned them such glory. He would go on to conquer countless worlds, slay nigh endless tides of infidels and xenos. The great Trophy Hall aboard the Black Night was overflowing with mementos of his mighty conquests that stood resplendent next to the ones of those great Lord Marshalls who had come before. He knew well the reputation that had been placed on his honored brothers by their jealous siblings and yokel peasants of the Imperial Guard. He cared not, for they were too jealous or weak to appreciate all of the good the Brutalizers did for the Emperor. Truly, none, save the mighty first founding Chapters, were greater than these Scions of Dorn. Then, the Sacking of Jarnia happened. Following a great string of victories against the Ur-Council of Nova Terra, the Brutalizers aided in the defense of the world of Jarnia from the forces of the successionist. The defense was, of course, a resounding and quick victory. A celebration was had in the Brutalizers honor at the capital palace of Lord Governor Tyrone Barnus XXI, and the Lord Marshall attended as was proper. But, in the middle of the festivities, the Governor's young daughter, greatly intoxicated, failed to address the vaunted Ignatius Earn properly. She did not bow, and most certainly did not address him by his title, not even as "My Lord." No, she dared to speak the Lord Marshall's first name, slurring it with her drunken speech as she raised a toast in his honor. Insulted, and, of course, enraged by the uncouth nature of this mortal creature, the Lord Marshall reacted in the only way he and his own knew how to such vicious slights. Jarina was depopulated within a week, its great cities razed to the ground and its green pastures ashen wastelands. Fire and death reigned supreme, and Ignatius sat upon a throne of corpses. To this day many Imperial scholars argue as to what could have driven such a specimen of the astartes to such uncouth savagery. Surely, they argue, Ignatius must have been touched by Chaos on that faithful day. Only the Lord Marshall and his confidants know the truth. Ignatius had done this more than once, however, this was the first time he failed to cover it up. As fate would have it, one vessel managed to escape Jarnia. A simple freighter loaded with refugees, their very existence damning evidence of the Brutalizers betrayal of the Imperium. Their distress signal attracted another Imperial vessel, and to the people aboard that freighter it must have seemed like the Emperor had smiled upon them. Boarding the freighter was a lithe woman, grey of hair and marred with savage scars and burns. Lord Inquisitor Devem was a hard and vindictive person, dutiful in her service as a Witch Hunter of Ordo Hereticus. She was also, unfortunately for the Brutalizers, a radical monodominant. She held that only the purestrain human form was the one the God Emperor deemed perfect enough to populate the stars. Even His so called "sons" were abhorrent mutants, creatures that, in her opinion, caused far more harm than good to the Imperium. The Brutalizers were the very embodiment of everything Inquisitor Devem hated about the Adeptus Astartes. Arrogant, cruel, and cowardly. She arrived on Jarina with vengeance in her heart and fire in her eyes. It was said she marched onto the Black Night without a word, flanked by her retinue and a platoon of Inquisitorial Storm Troopers. She shouldered her way past Ignatius' Dreadguard, and with a curse, struck the Lord Marshall across the jaw. Stunned, the Brutalizers in the room fell silent as the Lord Inquisitor condemned the Chapter for their actions, and sentenced them to slow death via a millennia long Penance Crusade. For two hundred years the Chapter chaffed under Lord Inquisitor Devem's command, she had essentially deposed the Lord Marshall and guided the Chapter on its suicidal march to oblivion. During her bloody reign, the Chapter could not recruit new members, nor could they even choose the conflicts they fought in. The Inquisitor even dictated tactical decisions, often putting Battle Brothers directly into situations that they could only hope to survive. Ignatius was most distressed, his Chapter had been stolen from him, and was slowly dying right before his eyes. How every fiber of his being yearned to Cure the Inquisitor, to bathe her skinned body, screaming and begging, into a tub of toxic salt from the blasted wastes of Oxis. But his duty was to the Emperor, and this woman spoke for His authority. This collision of duty and abject hatred would eat away at the Lord Marshall, while his subordinates too struggled. Something had to give. Something gave, rather violently. During the Parthas Crusade, on the bloody fields of the daemon world world Fro'Phet, Lord Inquisitor Devem issued her last Inquisitorial edict. All four hundred Battle Brothers of the Chapter were mounting a formidable assault on the black citadel of the Daemon Prince Rah'Hul the Damned. But the daemon lords forces were truly formidable, gravely outnumbering the Chapter, and armed with eldrich sorcery far beyond the ability of the Chapters Librarium to counteract. Sergeant Wrex “Brutus” Sternn A truly unfortunate Battle Brother of the 1st Company, Wrex was assigned by the Lord Marshall himself to act as a personal liaison between the Chapter and Douchard Baggage, and thus, is responsible for all the dealings involving the Rogue Trader. To this end, he has command of his own six man squad and a group of three Scouts. He is essentially the butt of many of the traders jokes revolving around the chapter, more often than not to his own face, and his personal messenger whenever dealings are going on. But must endure such indignities lest Ignatius flay him alive. Wrex was assigned his office as punishment for failing to secure a trove of antiques during the raid of Phallax II, and every day is reminded that his misery is the fault of a lone guardsman and a pile of gaudy jewelry. Faust Jager An infamous member of the Brualizers, Faust Jager is one of the most feared battle brothers in their ranks. Known for his obsession with destruction and heavy weaponry, Faust has made his career of infamy from the chassis of his own personal suit of Centurion armor. He suffers greatly from the Blood Hunger, known to drool uncontrollably and have a literal hunger for combat and mayhem. He often leads squads of Devastator Centurions, being the most experienced of their numbers. Faust is a savage coward, willing to face any foe so long as it is behind as many heavy weapons as he can muster. Without the advantage of overwhelming firepower, or the benefit of his armored Centurion battle suit, he immediately seeks to fall back or strike at the foe while they are weakened by his allies. If pressed into one on one combat, he will fight for every unfair advantage he can gain. He takes great pleasure in slaying targets that cannot reasonably fight back, such as civilian targets or foes on the retreat. Kant Durn The right hand and enforcer of the High Marshall, Kant Durn is an Astartes to be feared. Kant is an aged Marine, easily one hundred years Ignatius' senior. However, with age dose not always come wisdom. Kant is, and some say, has always been, a brute of an astartes. Ruthless, quick to anger, and exceptionally skilled with his Thunder Hammer Backbreaker, ''Kant became the High Executioner purely though force of arms. He is not particularly bright, nor is he a being of great sophistication. He is a warrior, nothing more, nothing less. This makes him the ideal counterpart to Ignatius Earn, for Kant commands respect and fear in equal measure amongst his fellow Brutalizers. Thus, when the Lord Marshall wants something done, he send Kant to ensure it is so. And Kant, ever loyal to the chain of command and tradition of the Chapter, rarely fails in this regard. '' Vladimir Cull Vladimir is a young astartes, scarcely forty years old, but he has proven himself a rising star in the ranks of the Chapter, only recently rising to the office of Company Champion of the 3rd Company. He has slain countless foes in the name of the Chapter, and greatly enjoys the pleasures of piracy. Some believe he enjoys them... a little too much. Vladimir is brash, scornful, and prone to great arrogance. These are the hallmarks of his Chapter, but Vladimir personifies them so deeply, that the Dreadmasters have no choice but to keep a close eye on this young Space Marine. He shows some signs of developing the Blood Hunger, but insofar has shown no greater symptoms than excessive drooling when in the thick of combat and the cannibalization of parts of his foes. Vladimir may be the Company Champion, but rarely dose he duel with any honor. He seeks to maim and break his foes, only delivering death once they are begging upon their knees. He loves to taunt his victims, to mock their end and threaten to defile their remains with his slathering jaws. Many believe that one day he will replace Kant Durn as the High Executioner. A natural warrior, Vladimir has proven himself a master with any weapon in the Chapter's arsenal. However, he is most attracted to the art of close combat. Armed with Mourningstar and Power Sword, as well as a Naval Bolter for ranged combat, Vladimir can lay waste to even the mightiest foe. Lev Panzar A deadly Battle Brother of the 3rd Company, Lev Panzar is a young but exceptionally skilled Devastator. His aptitude has won him great renown, weather it be for destroying an entire armored column with his trusty lasconnon ''Painhound ''or the time he shot down an fully crewed Thunder Hawk of the Loyalist Iron Wings Chapter. His ability as an anti-armor specialist and dangerous sharpshooter with ''Painhound ''is such that he has few surviving enemies in the galaxy. However, he is known for his vindictive personality, and few who have crossed him within the chapter would be willing to be in front of his sights anywhere on the battlefield. Lev Panzar never forgets a slight, weather it is real or perceived. And he never fails to avenge himself. Lev sees every foe that stands against him as a personal insult to his honor, and will persecute any foe, be they weak or strong, with the same raw hate and contempt he feels for every being that dose not fall to its knees and grant him his just supplication. Claud Vrell Once the Chapters honored High Executioner in centuries past, Claud was a deadly Astertes until he was struck down by Xenos on the world of Slaar IV. Fortunately he was saved by the Painmasters via internment in an ancient Venerable Dreadnought chassis. At first the change alarmed the astartes, as he felt that to no longer fight with his own two hands and experience the din of war personally would surely dampen his will to live. However, Claud found that he enjoyed the newfound power of his new body, and went on to become quite happy for this turn of events. Gone was the trivialities of even his previous superhuman form, now he was truly war incarnate. With Power Claw, Flamer, and Hurricane Bolter he lays utter waste to his foes, be they armor, infantry, even low flying aircraft are no match for his fury. When his Chapter betrayed the Imperium, the old Dreadnought almost slew the Lord Marshall Ignatius when he was awoken during the Raid of Vallex. However, the sly Ignatius told the Dreadnought of the Imperiums betrayal. How the High Lords allowed a mere mortal, an Inquisitor, to dishonor their Chapter with penance crusade after penance crusade. How the fools that ruled the Emperor's domain would allow them to be driven to extinction by such filth as a mortal. With this knowledge in hand, Claud turned his wrath to the Loyalists on that day. With Claw, Fire, and Bolt he slew nearly one hundred Space Marines of the Loyalist Iron Wings Chapter, and with them untold numbers of PDF and civilians. Claud now serves the Chapter well as a brutal weapon of mass destruction. Nigh unstoppable in his metal body, eons of experience guiding his murderous rampage, he has slain kings and governers, brought ruin to entire armies, and now he is truely happy with his lot. For now war is is only function, the only one he would ever need to preform. Lurn "Orphan Eater" Staz' Captain of the 2nd Company and Master of the Fleet, the infamous "Orphan Eater" is a cruel warrior of black renown. Lurn, even in the days of the Chapters service to the Imperium, was always a dark individual. Known for his sadistic tendencies and fearsome temper, Lurn was responsible for the death of untold millions, be they rebels, civilians, or xenos, he cared not the cost for total victory in the name of the Brutalizers. When the Chapter turned its back on the Emperor, Lurn was more than happy to join his brothers, for the Inquisitor had squandered his talent in naval warfare one too many times. As the Master of the Fleet, Lurn is responsible for the lions share of command and organisation of the Brutalizers Chapter Fleet both in preparation and during their various raids. He is a master of ship to ship combat and is the source of terror for many a stranded Imperial vessel as its weapons and engines are eliminated with surgical accuracy. Lurn suffers from the Blood Hunger, having developed a great taste for human flesh, specifically the tender flesh of young children. While many of his men are disturbed by this, few would dare to challenge his command so deadly is his wrath. In battle Lurn is a deadly warrior, armed with his pair of Naval Bolters and a Mourningstar. His most terrifying weapons however, are his pack of cyber-mastiffs that he holds dear. These mechanically and genetically enhanced hounds can rip apart nearly any foe with their power claws and fangs. Notable Conflicts The Arfen Conquests- Relations Add Your Own! Allies Douchard Bagge The bombastic and fabulously wealthy Rogue Trader has been one of the Chapters biggest supporters since their declaration as renegades, and the Brutalizers have fought for the Rogue Traders interests hundreds of times. From eliminating rival Traders to starting massive wars for Douchard to ply his arms and men in for profit, the Brutalizers are willing to do anything for the vast sums of riches and wargear Douchard gladly pays in. The Brutalizers view Douchard the man as a symbol of all they hate in the human race, arrogant, imbecilic, and unfathomably annoying. However, Douchard the Rogue Trader is the Brutalizers most valued customer and asset, thus they will go great lengths to ensure his continued life and patronage, having once rescued him from the clutches of a surprisingly savvy Inquisitor. The Severan Dominate The Brutalizers have gleefully dipped their hands into Duke Serverus' already pillaged pockets in exchange for their services. Currently the whole of the Brutalizers is engaged against the forces of Chaos and Orkish armies of WAAAGH! Grimtoof, plundering various worlds under the enemies control and providing much needed aid to the beleaguered Severan Dominate. Enemies Quotes By About Category:Imperial Fists Successors Category:Mercenaries and Renegades Category:Pirate Raiders Category:Renegade Chapter Category:Space Marines Category:3rd Founding